This invention relates to a fractional distillation column and a method of using such a column which considerably increases the liquid load capacity of the column as compared to a conventional distillation column.
Fractional distillation is widely employed for the separation of liquid mixture components (i.e. hydrocarbons) of different boiling points. Such fractional distillation is normally carried out in a fractionation column in which a feed is separated into a liquid phase and a vapor phase. Liquid flows across trays and down the column by means of downcomers, while the vapor phase passes upwardly through the trays.
Any fractional distillation column can accommodate a volume of liquid only up to a certain liquid load capacity. Heretofore, if a need arose to handle larger liquid loads, the only option was to simply replace the column with a column of larger diameter. Construction of a new column is clearly very expensive and labor intensive. A simpler and less expensive alternative would be desirable.